Log homes are well known and have remained popular over the years. The use of logs for constructing homes and other buildings requires that the bark and branches be removed. Advances in log processing has allowed raw logs to be processed more quickly than previously and with less man power than by using previous hand processing methods. Many of these now conventional techniques, such as milling, for example, not only remove the bark and branches but also render the resulting log substantially uniform in shape. While more efficient, such techniques also are less desirable to some purchasers who prefer the look of logs prepared using traditional methods such as hewing or utilizing an adz which results in a plurality of random hew or adz marks distributed across and along the log.
Previous attempts to preserve the look of a rough hewn log have not been satisfactory. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,095 issued May 18, 1976 to Johnson discloses a rough hewn bench plane attachment comprising an eccentric roller attachment under one end of a hand plane such that the plane is caused to move in an eccentric manner with respect to the work piece so that a cutting iron gouges the work piece. Such an attachment will produce regularly spaced apart marks which do not accurately replicate the desired random appearance of hew marks.
In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,949,768 issued Aug. 21, 1990 to Giles et al., 3,756,295 issued Sep. 4, 1973 to Halop, 3,495,638 issued Feb. 17, 1970 to Humphrey, 3,703,198 to Lubes et al. and 3,353,574 issued Nov. 21, 1967 to Kvalheim et al. all disclose machines which impart a plurality of hew marks to a work piece fed through the machine wherein the marks are then cut by at least one rotary member within the machine. Again, the hew marks resulting from these machines will be regularly spaced apart as well as having a regular depth and length. Work pieces resulting from these devices will not therefore have a satisfactory hand hewn appearance.
What is desirable is an apparatus and method for surface treating a work piece of wood to appear rough or hand finished with a hew wherein the hew marks or divots are irregular in spacing and appearance. Such a method and apparatus would also be desirably useful for surface treating lots as well as board, timbers and other types of wood products as well.